For many areas of the USA, including Delaware state, this locality gets poorer in terms of adequate support and care for those with the diagnosis of behavioral mental health or psychiatric problems as the homeless population goes. The exploitation of resources and use of them for the needy residents is mortared by the policies set up by local and national health authorities, enjoying epidemiological data and getting feedback from Community and Public health nurses along the way.
Local health policy, where one of the services for homeless individuals with mental health problems in Delaware is the Delaware Behavioral Health Consortium (DHCC), emerges as a key area of influence on the available resources. To modify the behavioral mental health system in the state, the DHCC is in place, and its mandate is to improve access to care, advance quality, and encourage recovery for those who are dealing with mental health and the abuse of substances. Behavioral health services through its programs and collaborations with other stakeholders, which entails healthcare providers, community organizations, and government agencies, DHCC aims to address health comprehensively, including people experiencing homelessness.
Epidemiology impacts policy-making, just as in the case of the health center. Epidemiological data reveal not only the general prevalence of psych-behavioral health disorders in the homeless community but also the spatial distribution of such conditions. Thus, the urgent need for considered and prioritized interventions and resource allocation is discussed. Using a large number of facts that one can realize, for example, a very large percentage of the homeless population are among the ones who suffer from mental disorders and substance abuse, the DHCC analyzes the gaps and then tailors its policies to the special needs of people experiencing homelessness.
Community and Public Health nurses certainly fill the void by advocating for policies that affect the health of the entire population, which is crucial in particular cases of homeless individuals with behavioral health disorders. These staff nurses are the pat, isn’t-frontline providers within the touch of the most vulnerable populations that expose specialists to innate challenges and peculiar needs. Empowered by epidemiological information and clinical experience, nurses play a crucial role in persuading policymakers to reorient policies toward the mental health and welfare of people in the homeless section of society.
There are many ways to observe nursing advocate efforts in Delaware, including when health departments at the state or local level join hands with organizations in the healthcare industry and community-based agencies to develop outreach programs that target homeless individuals with behavioral health disorders. Without the patients moving, these programs seek to fill vital services needs, including psychiatric consultations, medication administration, counseling, and housing assistance. Through their participation during the planning and execution, public health and community health nurses see that policies are based on fairness, access, and placing patients first.
Similarly, the nurses are at the center of the coordination and evaluation of the therapeutic measures dealing with homeless people’s mental health. Nurses can provide various services like assistance over the phone, home care, community outreach, clinical procedures, etc. Ongoing monitoring and data collection help identify flaws in services, access barriers, and facilities for improvement that can assist in future decision‑making about policies and resource allocation.
The conclusion is that regional and national health policies significantly influence the quality and accessibility of the services provided to homeless people affected by behavioral health problems in Delaware. Through epidemiology, one gets the evidence-based wisdom necessary to shape policy in the breathtaking and vivid demonstration of how the policy can tackle the needs of vulnerable populations. Community and Public Health Nursing is the very foundation of advocacy for policy changes, discovering new ways to impact unfavorable outcomes, and ensuring that financial resources are used correctly to increase the health outcomes of homeless people dealing with mental health disorders.
References
American Nurses Association. (2019). Public Health Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice (3rd ed.). American Nurses Association.
Delaware Health and Social Services. (2020). Delaware Behavioral Health Consortium. https://dhss.delaware.gov/dhcc/
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2019). Healthy People 2020. https://www.healthypeople.gov/
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